| 1. |
- Klionsky, Daniel J., et al.
(author)
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Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy
- 2012
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In: Autophagy. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1554-8635 .- 1554-8627. ; 8:4, s. 445-544
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In 2008 we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, research on this topic has continued to accelerate, and many new scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Accordingly, it is important to update these guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Various reviews have described the range of assays that have been used for this purpose. Nevertheless, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to measure autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. A key point that needs to be emphasized is that there is a difference between measurements that monitor the numbers or volume of autophagic elements (e.g., autophagosomes or autolysosomes) at any stage of the autophagic process vs. those that measure flux through the autophagy pathway (i.e., the complete process); thus, a block in macroautophagy that results in autophagosome accumulation needs to be differentiated from stimuli that result in increased autophagic activity, defined as increased autophagy induction coupled with increased delivery to, and degradation within, lysosomes (in most higher eukaryotes and some protists such as Dictyostelium) or the vacuole (in plants and fungi). In other words, it is especially important that investigators new to the field understand that the appearance of more autophagosomes does not necessarily equate with more autophagy. In fact, in many cases, autophagosomes accumulate because of a block in trafficking to lysosomes without a concomitant change in autophagosome biogenesis, whereas an increase in autolysosomes may reflect a reduction in degradative activity. Here, we present a set of guidelines for the selection and interpretation of methods for use by investigators who aim to examine macroautophagy and related processes, as well as for reviewers who need to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of papers that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a formulaic set of rules, because the appropriate assays depend in part on the question being asked and the system being used. In addition, we emphasize that no individual assay is guaranteed to be the most appropriate one in every situation, and we strongly recommend the use of multiple assays to monitor autophagy. In these guidelines, we consider these various methods of assessing autophagy and what information can, or cannot, be obtained from them. Finally, by discussing the merits and limits of particular autophagy assays, we hope to encourage technical innovation in the field.
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| 2. |
- Weinstein, John N., et al.
(author)
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The cancer genome atlas pan-cancer analysis project
- 2013
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In: Nature Genetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1061-4036 .- 1546-1718. ; 45:10, s. 1113-1120
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Research Network has profiled and analyzed large numbers of human tumors to discover molecular aberrations at the DNA, RNA, protein and epigenetic levels. The resulting rich data provide a major opportunity to develop an integrated picture of commonalities, differences and emergent themes across tumor lineages. The Pan-Cancer initiative compares the first 12 tumor types profiled by TCGA. Analysis of the molecular aberrations and their functional roles across tumor types will teach us how to extend therapies effective in one cancer type to others with a similar genomic profile. © 2013 Nature America, Inc. All rights reserved.
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| 3. |
- Ablikim, M., et al.
(author)
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Observation of e(+)e(-) -> pi(0)pi(0)h(c) and a Neutral Charmoniumlike Structure Z(c)(4020)(0)
- 2014
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In: Physical Review Letters. - 0031-9007 .- 1079-7114. ; 113:21, s. 212002-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Using data collected with the BESIII detector operating at the Beijing Electron Positron Collider at center-of-mass energies of root s = 4.23, 4.26, and 4.36 GeV, we observe e(+)e(-) -> pi(0)pi(0)h(c) for the first time. The Born cross sections are measured and found to be about half of those of e(+)e(-) -> pi(+)pi(-)h(c) within less than 2 sigma. In the pi(0)h(c) mass spectrum, a structure at 4.02 GeV/c(2) is found. It is most likely to be the neutral isospin partner of the Z(c)(4020)(+/-) observed in the process of e(+)e(-) -> pi(+)pi(-)h(c) being found. A fit to the pi(0)h(c) invariant mass spectrum, with the width of the Z(c)(4020)(0) fixed to that of its charged isospin partner and possible interferences with non-Z(c)(4020)(0) amplitudes neglected, gives a mass of (4023.9 +/- 2.2 +/- 3.8) MeV/c(2) for the Z(c)(4020)(0), where the first error is statistical and the second systematic.
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| 4. |
- Ablikim, M., et al.
(author)
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Search for C-parity violation in J/psi -> gamma gamma and gamma phi
- 2014
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In: Physical Review D. - 1550-7998 .- 1550-2368. ; 90:9, s. 092002-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Using 1.06 x 10(8) psi(3686) events recorded in e(+)e(-) collisions at root s = 3.686 GeV with the BESIII at the BEPCII collider, we present searches for C-parity violation in J/psi -> gamma gamma and gamma phi decays via psi(3686) -> J/psi pi(+)pi(-). No significant signals are observed in either channel. Upper limits on the branching fractions are set to be B(J/psi -> gamma gamma) < 2.7 x 10(-7) and B(J/psi -> gamma phi) < 1.4 x 10(-6) at the 90% confidence level. The former is one order of magnitude more stringent than the previous upper limit, and the latter represents the first limit on this decay channel.
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| 5. |
- Ablikim, M., et al.
(author)
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Search for the weak decays J/psi -> D-s(()*()-) e(+)nu(e) + c.c.
- 2014
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In: Physical Review D. - 1550-7998 .- 1550-2368. ; 90:11, s. 112014-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Using a sample of 2.25 x 10(8) J/psi events collected with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider, we search for the J/psi semileptonic weak decay J/psi -> D-s(-) e(+)nu(e) +c.c. with a much higher sensitivity than previous searches. We also perform the first search for J/psi -> D-s(*-) e(+) nu(e) + c.c. No significant excess of a signal above background is observed in either channel. At the 90% confidence level, the upper limits are determined to be B(J/psi -> D-s(-) e(+) nu(e) + c.c.) < 1.3 x 10(-6) and B(J/psi -> D-s*(-) e(+) nu(e) + c.c.) < 1.8 x 10(-6), respectively. Both are consistent with Standard Model predictions.
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| 6. |
- Andreasson, Martin, 1987-
(author)
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Control of Multi-Agent Systems with Applications to Distributed Frequency Control Power Systems
- 2013
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Licentiate thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Multi-agent systems are interconnected control systems with many application domains. The first part of this thesis considers nonlinear multi-agent systems, where the control input can be decoupled into a product of a nonlinear gain function depending only on the agent's own state, and a nonlinear interaction function depending on the relative states of the agent's neighbors. We prove stability of the overall system, and explicitly characterize the equilibrium state for agents with both single- and double-integrator dynamics.Disturbances may seriously degrade the performance of multi-agent systems. Even constant disturbances will in general cause the agents to diverge, rather than to converge, for many control protocols. In the second part of this thesis we introduce distributed proportional-integral controllers to attenuate constant disturbances in multi-agent systems with first- and second-order dynamics. We derive explicit stability criteria based on the integral gain of the controllers.Lastly, this thesis presents both centralized and distributed frequency controllers for electrical power transmission systems. Based on the theory developed for multi-agent systems, a decentralized controller regulating the system frequencies under load changes is proposed. An optimal distributed frequency controller is also proposed, which in addition to regulating the frequencies to the nominal frequency, minimizes the cost of power generation.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Gardner, Michael, et al.
(author)
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Gender and telomere length : Systematic review and meta-analysis
- 2014
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In: Experimental Gerontology. - : Elsevier. - 0531-5565 .- 1873-6815. ; 51, s. 15-27
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: It is widely believed that females have longer telomeres than males, although results from studies have been contradictory. Methods: We carried out a systematic review and meta-analyses to test the hypothesis that in humans, females have longer telomeres than males and that this association becomes stronger with increasing age. Searches were conducted in EMBASE and MEDLINE (by November 2009) and additional datasets were obtained from study investigators. Eligible observational studies measured telomeres for both females and males of any age, had a minimum sample size of 100 and included participants not part of a diseased group. We calculated summary estimates using random-effects meta-analyses. Heterogeneity between studies was investigated using sub-group analysis and meta-regression. Results: Meta-analyses from 36 cohorts (36,230 participants) showed that on average females had longer telomeres than males (standardised difference in telomere length between females and males 0.090, 95% CI 0.015, 0.166; age-adjusted). There was little evidence that these associations varied by age group (p = 1.00) or cell type (p = 0.29). However, the size of this difference did vary by measurement methods, with only Southern blot but neither real-time PCR nor Flow-FISH showing a significant difference. This difference was not associated with random measurement error. Conclusions: Telomere length is longer in females thanmales, although this difference was not universally found in studies that did not use Southern blot methods. Further research on explanations for the methodological differences is required. (C) 2013 Published by Elsevier Inc.
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| 9. |
- Guo, Xiong, et al.
(author)
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Recent advances in the research of an endemic osteochondropathy in China : Kashin-Beck disease
- 2014
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In: Osteoarthritis and Cartilage. - : Elsevier. - 1063-4584 .- 1522-9653. ; 22:11, s. 1774-1783
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) is an endemic chronic osteochondral disease, which has a high prevalence and morbidity in the Eastern Siberia of Russia, and in the broad diagonal, northern-east to southern-west belt in China and North Korea. In 1990's, it was estimated that in China 1–3 million people had some degree of symptoms of the disease, although even higher estimates have been presented. In China, the extensive prevalence peaked in the late 1950's, but since then, in contrast to the global trend of the osteoarthritis (OA), the number of cases has been dramatically falling. Up to 2013, there are 0.64 millions patients with the KBD and 1.16 millions at risk in 377 counties of 13 provinces or autonomous regions. This is obviously thanks to the preventive efforts carried out, which include providing millions of people with dietary supplements and clean water, as well as relocation of whole villages in China. However, relatively little is known about the molecular mechanisms behind the cartilage damage, the genetic and the environmental risk factors, and the rationale of the preventive effects. During the last decade, new data on a cellular and molecular level has begun to accumulate, which hopefully will uncover the grounds of the disease.
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| 10. |
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